Mark Chapter 6 Part 2: Jesus’ Amazing Miracles!
Last time we saw Jesus send out the 12 to do the things they had seen Him do. This was the first time that the 12 operated as apostles, which term means “One sent forth”. Jesus gave them authority to heal and to drive out demons, and they did so. They also proclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven, and the need of people everywhere to repent of their sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting Him as savior and following Him as Lord. After they came back, Jesus invited them to come and rest a while.
We also considered the terrible martyrdom of John the Baptizer, and the manipulation of the foolish King Herod, by Herodias, his ill gotten and evil wife. All who are in positions of authority could learn many important lessons from this man’s moral failures and tragic leadership style.
Now let’s move ahead to the very inspiring second half of Mark Chapter 6!
I. The Feeding of the 5000 (34-44)
The crowd saw the Lord and the Disciples in the boat and surged on ahead of them. The time for the disciples to rest with the Lord turned out to be very short indeed. (33)
A. (verses 34-36) The compassionate Lord began to teach the crowd many things. He loved them as a shepherd caring for lost sheep! As the day was fading away, the disciples suggested that the Lord dismiss and send the people away so that they could buy food before nightfall.
B. (verses 37-40) The Lord now used this opportunity to further train the 12 in the ministry of the miraculous. Rather than many thousands of loaves, (dinner rolls) there were five. There were also two fish found among this huge crowd. This was enough for the Lord to have the people recline for dinner in groups of hundreds and groups of fifties.
C. (verses 41-44)
1. Jesus would have looked like a fool indeed if no miracle now took place. Five thousand men plus women and children could not possibly be fed by five little loaves and two lunch box fish. However, the one who always did the will of the Father perfectly, was in tune with the Holy Spirit every moment, and He prayed with thankfulness in advance of God’s multiplication of this food.
2. As he broke the loaves and fishes, the miracle took place, and the disciples took plenty of food to everyone.
3. All the people ate and were satisfied, but there was more miraculous provision yet to be revealed!
4. Twelve full baskets of food were now picked up as leftovers! Jesus Christ is MORE THAN ENOUGH!
II. Walking on the Water and More…
A. (verse 45) It was time to go and Jesus sent the disciples on in the boat, while he took care of sending the crowd away. They were now full and strengthened, and they left.
B. (verses 46-47) Jesus knew to go get alone with the Father in prayer in the mountains, away from all distraction, to hear God’s voice perfectly and completely. Now night is at hand.
C. (verse 48) Jesus was simply going to walk completely across the Sea of Galilee! The disciples were struggling with the boat as the wind blew against them. This transportation miracle is right up there with Elijah outrunning a chariot to the palace of the king, and with Phillip being instantly translated from the desert to Jerusalem.
D. (verses 49-50) The disciples got a real scare out of this one! Jesus, as usual, cared for their needs by reassuring them and then coming over into the boat.
E. (verses 51-52) Notice that the wind stopped. When Jesus is in your “boat” amazing things happen. The important thing is to be SURE that you are obeying Him, as the disciples were. Even with all this however, the disciples are here described as having hardened hearts! Their thinking was off. The massive miracle of the loaves had not given them any new Kingdom insight. How about you? Is your heart tuned in to the Lord totally, carefully?
III. A Great Outpouring of Healing (verses 53-56)
Once again, rest was postponed. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to have been with the Lord that day, and on that tour! The people of Gennesaret knew that the Lord Jesus Christ was the one who would have mercy on them, and would back that up with miracle power! They had apparently heard of the woman who was healed just by touching Jesus. Now great numbers were healed just by touching Him! Wow! Many villages and market places were scenes of great healings. How many did Jesus say no to? Not one. He is the healer, the savior, the deliverer, and he is available to all!
NEXT TIME: Tradition versus reality: Mark Chapter 7
